Scientists from South Korea have developed a highly sensitive biosensor that allows for the detection of early liver fibrosis using a small blood sample.
Scientists pointed out that liver cirrhosis develops gradually and does not cause symptoms for a long time. It is possible to stop the disease when it is discovered in its early stages or even reverse its course with treatment and lifestyle changes. However, confirming the diagnosis currently often requires a biopsy, which is a painful procedure to take tissue from the liver, or expensive imaging methods. Therefore, they sought to develop their new method for diagnosing the disease.
The new diagnostic method relies on measuring the PICP protein in the blood, which is an indicator of scar tissue formation in the liver. The researchers used a carbon electrode coated with gold nanoparticles and equipped with antibodies to this protein. When PICP binds to the antibodies, the electrical properties of the sensor surface change, allowing the protein concentration to be determined without the need for complex sample processing.
In clinical trials on patients, the biosensor detected liver fibrosis with a sensitivity of 95.24% and a specificity of 100%, meaning it produced no false positives among healthy participants. Researchers believe this technology could be developed into a small, portable device for use in medical clinics, enabling much earlier diagnosis and eliminating the need for many painful liver biopsies.
Liver cirrhosis occurs when some liver tissue turns into scar tissue as a result of a chronic disease, which impairs liver function. The most prominent causes are viral hepatitis B and C, in addition to diseases related to obesity and alcoholism.
